1. Field
The present invention describes connectors for connecting two components and, more particularly, to water resistant connectors for forming a resilient connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Connectors are used in various types of systems. It is always desirable to prevent liquids (and debris) from flowing into connectors because, over time, any liquid that enters a plug or a receptacle may corrode or otherwise damage the internal components. Some connectors are used in medical settings, such as hospitals, to connect devices, such as an MRI device or an X-ray device, to computing systems. Connectors for these types of equipment can be costly and, thus, it is especially desirable to prevent liquids from flowing into and damaging these costly connectors. Another desirable quality for connectors used in medical equipment is the ability to easily clean the connectors, especially a receptacle coupled to a bed or table, due to the highly sanitary nature of medical settings.
It is also desirable for connectors to remain in electrical connection in response to a disturbance causing movement of a plug relative to a socket. This, also, is especially true in medical settings as some imaging procedures may take a significant amount of time to complete and a significant amount of time may be lost if contacts of a plug momentarily separate from contacts of a receptacle. Connectors used in some medical settings may have a greater tendency to be subjected to disturbances due to the placement of the connectors. For example, in MRI systems, the connectors may be placed on a patient's bed such that a slight movement of the patient can potentially disconnect the plug from the receptacle.
In various systems, operators may be required to plug and unplug the connectors many times per day, such as in MRI systems where a coil may be replaced after nearly every scan. After sufficient repetitions of this plugging and unplugging, the operator may have a tendency to develop a repetitive motion injury. This is especially true if the amount of force required to unplug the connectors is relatively large. Thus, it is desirable for the connector to be easy to connect and disconnect.
Thus, a need exists in the art for connectors that tend to remain connected during disturbances, are relatively easy to clean, and require relatively little force to disconnect.